Up Up Up Again

And the roller coaster continues. I woke feeling better than yesterday, but still flaring.

Edema Report:

Saw PT1 for lymph-massage. Left axillary is more swollen again, as were all the lymph glands in my neck and the ones around my intestines. PT1 said that, when my left axillary finally feels as good to her as my right, she thinks I’ll be in good shape, and I’m not there yet.

Starting June 2010, before my first lymph-massage, I took measurements in 24 locations on my body. 14 months later, I have lost a total of 20 pounds and 51 inches. It is really amazing to watch my tendons and veins and bones reappear and really scary when a microscopic bit of gluten sets me back a month.

Joint Report:

Balls of feet are swollen. Knees are swollen and burning all day. De Quervain’s “snuff box” on both wrists burning all day. This is the scariest part. The De Quervain’s was what lead to the RA diagnosis. It was so bad for so long, my pain level for the first 4 months, on a scale of 1-10 was a 20. So now, when it even whispers to me, I find it difficult not to panic and catastrophize. In this case, the “devil I know” is scarier than the unknown. Back too sore to cook dinner without sitting on a stool and resting in the middle for half and hour. Left pinky too sore to type. But all in all, still better than yesterday.